LAKE ERIE HOSTS TAKING BREAST CANCER BY STORM WEEKEND: The Lake Erie College men's basketball team (8-14, 3-12 GLIAC) faces a pair GLIAC North foes this weekend at it hosts Northern Michigan University Thursday (Feb. 16) and Michigan Tech University Saturday (Feb. 18). The Storm is coming off a 64-57 loss at Grand Valley State University Saturday. Lake Erie will host its annual basketball "Taking Breast Cancer by Storm" event, as part of the GLIAC Pink Wave initiative, throughout the weekend. Fans are admitted free on both dates and will have a chance to purchase limited edition pink Storm gear to support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

LAST TIME OUT: For the second straight game, Lake Erie trailed by just a bucket at halftime against a tough GLIAC North foe and this time it stayed in the game until the final minute in a 64-57 loss to Grand Valley State University. The Storm was led by the sophomore duo of forward Rich Austin (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius) and guard Riley Thomas (Cardington, Ohio/Cardington-Lincoln), as each player scored a game-high 19 points. The effort, which included four three-pointers, was a season-high for Thomas and one off his career-high. Austin did much of his work at the foul line going nine-of-10 with the Storm going 15-of-17 (88.2%) as a team from the charity stripe.

SERIES NOTES: Lake Erie and Northern Michigan met for the first time last season with the Storm coming out on top, 66-50, in Marquette, Mich. on Feb. 17.

CLOSING IN ON 100: With eight victories already this season, Lake Erie Head Coach Cliff Hunt is just three wins away from the 100-win plateau with a 97-89 career record in his seventh season with the Storm. He is already the all-time winningest coach in school history.

AUSTIN ALL-IN: Sophomore Rich Austin has made a huge leap after a solid freshman season. Austin is averaging 11.6 ppg. and 6.3 rpg., leading the team in both categories. He has reached double figure scoring in 14-of-22 games this season and recorded his second double-double Feb. 4 vs. ODU with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Over the last three games he is averaging 17.7 ppg. and 9.0 rpg. The Cleveland St. Ignatius grad averaged 6.0 ppg. as a freshman.

THOMAS' TERRIFIC TWOS: Sophomore Riley Thomas has backed up a solid freshman campaign as the team's second leading scorer at 10.1 ppg. He currently has 445 points and could be well on his way to becoming Lake Erie's next 1,000 point scorer.

OPPOSITION POSITION: Northern Michigan (8-14, 4-11 GLIAC) is currently at the bottom of the GLIAC North standings. The Wildcats have lost six straights contests and are led by guard Haki Stampley with 14.5 ppg.